A Breakdown of New Crime Statistics from the Virginia State Police, FBI

Over the last decade, property crime has gone down in Virginia. Violent crime has also gone down, although it’s fluctuated a bit. That’s according to new numbers from the Virginia State Police and the FBI.

Shonel Sen at the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service says property crime perpetrators are typically younger while the victims tend to be middle-aged or older.

“On the flip side, violent crime offenders and victims range mainly between the ages of 20 and 29," says Sen. "So just in different types of crime, you see that demographic effects can be visible.”

More than half of violent crime happens at homes or places of residence, and 20% happens along the side of a road.

“6% happened to be reported in parking lots and garages, which I found was quite significant. So be careful where you park and when you get your car back,” she warns.

Sen adds that Virginia has the lowest recidivism rate in the country over the last three years, and researchers at the University of Virginia will be looking into that in the coming weeks.